Looking for a 2x32GB Single-Rank DDR5 UDIMM Memory Kit (AM4 to AM5 upgrade)

[pabzab]

Hello,

I’m planning to upgrade my AM4 setup, which currently consists of a 5800X3D, Asus B550-XE, and 2x32GB Corsair 3600MHz CL18 RAM.
I mainly use this system for gaming and Photoshop.
My motivation for upgrading is to switch to DDR5, which I believe is now significantly superior to DDR4 for high FPS gaming.


The 9800X3D is quite expensive, so I think the best move is to get a discounted 7800X3D paired with a high-end motherboard that will allow me to upgrade the CPU again in two years.
Therefore, I plan to upgrade to an Asus ROG Strix X870E-E motherboard and a 7800X3D CPU.

Now, the memory choice is where it gets tricky.
I want RAM modules that support two EXPO profiles: one for 6000MHz and another for 6400MHz.
I also want to maximize single-rank density with 32GB modules to reduce motherboard and signal integrity issues by using a configuration with two single-rank sticks.

So ideally, I’m looking for a 2x32GB single-rank kit, preferably with a 6400MHz EXPO profile and the lowest possible CAS latency.

After some research (using the Asus X870E Extreme QVL list), here are the 32GB single-rank kits I found

• Kingston KF560C36BBE2K2-64 — 2x32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6000MHz
  • Same with LEDs Kingston KF560C36BBE2AK2-64 — 2x32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6000MHz
• Corsair CMK64GX5M2B6400C42W (Ver 3.63.01) — 2x32GB — XMP — 6400MHz
• Corsair CMH64GX5M2B6400C42W (Ver 3.63.01) — 2x32GB — XMP — 6400MHz
• Crucial CP32G64C40U5B — 32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6400MHz

Kingston is my favorite and there is a real specification sheet there : https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KF560C36BBE2K2-64.pdf
However, they don’t have a 6400MHz XMP/EXPO profile.
I don’t expect this to make much difference, but overclocking options will be limited if I upgrade the CPU in two years (maybe next gen of AMD CPU will have 7000mhz sweet spot compatibility with gear ratio of 1:1 ? Idk)

Corsair is interesting, but there’s no official product page available, and the latencies aren’t great.

As for Crucial, I’m uncertain. Their support told me “BJ” means single rank and “B” means dual rank, so there might be an error in Asus’s QVL.

Is anyone else thinking along the same lines or has already done this research before moving to AM5?

Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Pierre

 

[ir_cow]

First, you can ignore the QVL lists for the most part. In my opinion it is only helpful to gauge the highest memory frequency tested. Though that is in a lab with a binned CPU, so the average consumer isn't going to get the same max frequency.

Secondly, EXPO includes 5 extra SPD values tCCD, tRRD, tWTR, tRTP, tFAW and tCCDW compared to XMP. It can help with performance, but I found these are either the same as the motherboards defaults (if XMP was used) or slightly looser for compatibility. So basically, don't limit yourself to just EXPO memory.

There is a future were EXPO is the go-to in performance, but right now it is more of a "AMD made its own", look at me situation.

 

[GerKNG]

So ideally, I’m looking for a 2x32GB single-rank kit, preferably with a 6400MHz EXPO profile

this will not run on at least 95 out of 100 CPUs.
get any 6000 CL30 kit under the sun and you're good. the difference is barely measurable.

 

[rv8000]

FWIW avoid Corsair if there are similar and or better priced options. Some patriot, kingston, and in general most g.skill kits I’ve found to work very well on AM5.

 

[Sol_Badguy]

I’m planning to upgrade my AM4 setup, which currently consists of a 5800X3D, Asus B550-XE, and 2x32GB Corsair 3600MHz CL18 RAM.
I mainly use this system for gaming and Photoshop.
My motivation for upgrading is to switch to DDR5, which I believe is now significantly superior to DDR4 for high FPS gaming.

By how you're presenting it sounds as if the purpose of the upgrade is the DDR5 memory. The memory generation can't be the bottleneck. You are having 64GB right now so capacity wise I don't think you are limited, not in gaming anyway and not when you're planning for 64GB on DDR5. But this is something that you would know, if and how much you are capacity limited in non-gaming scenarios.

The 9800X3D is quite expensive, so I think the best move is to get a discounted 7800X3D paired with a high-end motherboard that will allow me to upgrade the CPU again in two years.
Therefore, I plan to upgrade to an Asus ROG Strix X870E-E motherboard and a 7800X3D CPU.

So you have a problem with the price of the 9800X3D but not with the price of that motherboard?
I agree that value wise the 7800X3D is more attractive, but buying down on the CPU while buying up on the mobo just so that in the future you would upgrade the CPU, and thus have a better match between the mobo and the future CPU seems weird.
Unless you need specific features I don't see any reason to buy outside the 250-350 USD range.

I also want to maximize single-rank density with 32GB modules to reduce motherboard and signal integrity issues by using a configuration with two single-rank sticks.

What issues?

Kingston is my favorite and there is a real specification sheet there : https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KF560C36BBE2K2-64.pdf
However, they don’t have a 6400MHz XMP/EXPO profile.
I don’t expect this to make much difference, but overclocking options will be limited if I upgrade the CPU in two years (maybe next gen of AMD CPU will have 7000mhz sweet spot compatibility with gear ratio of 1:1 ? Idk)

The latencies aren't great.
6400 vs 6000 isn't going to make a significant difference.
What if this, what if that?
What if Nova Lake beats Zen6? Then what, you're going to regret going this route?

• Corsair CMK64GX5M2B6400C42W (Ver 3.63.01) — 2x32GB — XMP — 6400MHz
• Corsair CMH64GX5M2B6400C42W (Ver 3.63.01) — 2x32GB — XMP — 6400MHz

CL42 is pure trash, at that point why even care about "performance" specs? Just pick the capacity you feel will keep you satisfied, add another 32GB on top and buy a high capacity kit (so either 96 or 128GB).

• Crucial CP32G64C40U5B — 32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6400MHz

As for Crucial, I’m uncertain. Their support told me “BJ” means single rank and “B” means dual rank, so there might be an error in Asus’s QVL.

Product page says 32Gb die density, so that would mean 4GB chips.

Crucial Pro DDR5-6400 64GB Kit (32GBx2) UDIMM: OC Gaming Memory Black | CP2K32G64C40U5B | Crucial.com

Buy Crucial Pro DDR5-6400 64GB Kit (32GBx2) UDIMM: OC Gaming Memory Black CP2K32G64C40U5B.

www.crucial.com

Can't be 100% sure though...
Still the latencies aren't great.

My opinion is that the 5800X3D is potent enough to keep you floating until Zen6 lands. Zen6 will be better than Zen5 this is a certainty, the only unknown is how much better will it be.
So then you will get a significant upgrade, not cheap though.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review - The Best Gaming Processor

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D establishes AMD as the leader in gaming performance. This Zen 5-based X3D chip is not only fast, it also comes with full support for overclocking. Besides gaming, application performance is considerably improved over the 7800X3D, but that comes at a price.

www.techpowerup.com

Based on this in non-gaming workloads the 7800X3D is 25% better and in 1080p gaming 13% better. I don't see this sort of upgrade to justify the expense for the whole change.

Again my advice is to wait.

 

[_roman_]

After some research (using the Asus X870E Extreme QVL list), here are the 32GB single-rank kits I found

• Kingston KF560C36BBE2K2-64 — 2x32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6000MHz
  • Same with LEDs Kingston KF560C36BBE2AK2-64 — 2x32GB — XMP/EXPO — 6000MHz

Ordered on 19 May 2023
Kingston Fury Beast Black Expo DDR5 64GB (2x32GB) 5600MT/s DDR5 CL36 DIMM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit with 2 - KF556C36BBEK2-64

Sienna_Cichlid /home/roman # lshw|grep KF
product: KF556C36-32
product: KF556C36-32

Windows 11 pro reported my DRAM kit wrong. It was for ages SR, but now it is DR.

I would be very careful to trust those screenshots on the net for Kingston being SR modules

I even myself posted some benchmark screenshots in the past where the kit was falsely reported as SR.

--

there is a difference. i made a sidegrade from ryzen 5800x to ryzen 7600x. Both had 64Gib DRAM. two less cores but the same calculation speed in my long term view. Microsft Windows performance does not matter to myself.

DRAM is much difference. // NVME support is much better on AM5.